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SAN ANTONIO — Tactics used by Open Carry Texas are being outlawed by at least six national restaurant chains and criticized by the diehard pro-gun National Rifle Association following recent demonstrations by the group's San Antonio chapter at a local Chili's and Sonic.

The growing grassroots Second Amendment organization has gained national attention with rallies across Texas, including last year at the Alamo, where members openly tote long guns, including semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15. Open Carry Texas chapters have published several videos online in which they walk into restaurants, most recently the two San Antonio establishments, with semi-automatic rifles strapped to their backs, seemingly to test the response of management.

The NRA on Friday called the Texas group's open carry displays in restaurants “weird,” “scary,” “counter-productive” and “downright foolishness” in a blog post on the NRA's Legislative Action website. Chili's and Sonic issued statements Friday requesting that patrons not openly carry firearms in their restaurants in response to the incidents.

“Using guns merely to draw attention to yourself in public not only defies common sense, it shows a lack of consideration and manners,” the NRA's lobbying arm wrote. “That's not the Texas way. And that's certainly not the NRA way.”

The two videos from the San Antonio chapter of Open Carry Texas were published to YouTube about two weeks ago and removed less than an hour later “because the images could easily be misinterpreted,” the group's president, C.J. Grisham, said.

One shows a group of eight men carrying long guns into a Chili's and asking for a table but being asked to leave by a manager and a confrontation with a female patron who said “there are children here.” A similar visit to Sonic ended with the group being asked to leave the patio area. Both videos were re-uploaded by left-leaning publication Mother Jones after they were deleted by the group.

Following the videos, Grisham, an Army master sergeant who lives in Temple, asked members to stop publicizing unexpected open carry displays at businesses.

Open Carry Texas responded to the NRA's criticism on its Facebook page.

“The NRA has lost its relevance and sided with #guncontrolextremists and their lapdog media,” the group's Facebook post said. “No one in NRA leadership has ever been to an (Open Carry Texas) event, but feels competent to speak out against them.”

A spokesperson for Brinker International Restaurants, which owns Chili's and Maggiano's, told the San Antonio Express-News on Friday that the company “recognize(s) that the open carry of firearms in restaurants creates an uncomfortable atmosphere.”

“So, we kindly ask that guests refrain from openly carrying firearms into our restaurants and we will continue to follow state and local laws on this issue,” the spokesperson said.

Patrick Lenow, vice president for media relations for Sonic, issued a similar statement.

“While we historically have relied upon local laws to guide how we address the display of guns at drive-ins, recent actions required we carefully reconsider this approach,” he said. “We're asking that customers refrain from bringing guns onto our patios or into our indoor dining areas.”

Grisham said members of his “peaceful organization” often are just going out to eat after rallies with their weapons, not necessarily holding a demonstration in the restaurant.

When asked why members don't leave their guns in their car when they go to eat, Grisham responded: “Why would we go unarmed anywhere we go? The whole point of having a firearm is self-defense; why would we go somewhere” without that.

Jack in the Box, Starbucks and Chipotle previously have asked patrons to keep guns out of their restaurants after similar open carry displays in Texas and petitions from advocates of stricter gun laws such as the group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Jamie Addams, San Antonio ambassador for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which has gone toe-to-toe with the Second Amendment group over the restaurant displays, said she is grateful for the restaurants' new policies outlawing display of firearms.

“When I take my family, my children and my parents out to eat, we would prefer not to see guns, long rifles, AR-15's in the booth across from us while we are eating,” she said. “We are going to make decisions based on what we think is safe for our families.”

Grisham issued a request last week that members now notify and receive permission from businesses before entering strapped with long guns, carry the rifles and shotguns on slings rather than holding them and not to post pictures of displays in businesses.

Grisham said the incidents at restaurants have distracted from the group's goal of legalizing open carry of pistols in the state without licenses.

“Gun control extremists are creating controversy where there isn't any,” he said.

The group is entering another phase of meeting with legislators to push for open carry in the next legislative session, he said, and there will be fewer displays at businesses. He said he is “98 percent sure” that open carry of pistols will pass in 2015.

Currently, state law only allows open carry of long guns and individuals who do so are not required to have a license. Individuals who wish to carry handguns in public must meet the requirements for a concealed handgun license.

Texas is one of less than 10 states that specifically block open carry of handguns, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Last year, after “the recent publicity surrounding the open carrying of rifles and shotguns”, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission issued a press release highlighting that long guns are prohibited from TABC-licensed businesses.

The Texas Republican Party issued a statement Sunday advising attendees they would not be allowed to open carry firearms at this weekend's state GOP convention in Fort Worth due to the venue's TABC license, but that CHL holders will be allowed to carry concealed handguns.

Grisham said licenses to carry any type of firearm are a “Second Amendment tax.”

I'm glad the NRA came out and called these dipshits out. I think that people are starting to pick up on this notion that carrying should not be done for the purposes of political posturing or instigation. Jeff Gonzalez of TRICON had a good blog article talking about how those people who open carried were selfish. When it comes to 2A, it's not about "me". 2A is an individual liberty, but it's something that affects a lot of people and your actions can ruin it for others. Unlike other rights, it's one that is constantly under attack. As such, why would you create conflict and animosity?

What's even more annoying is that people get upset at companies who push back by exercising the right of free commerce and private property rights, which was a founding principle in our economy and one of the primary catalysts for the Boston Tea Party incident and the whole American Revolution (taxation without representation). Instead, you have random turd burglars trying to instigate and do what they think affects political change. These are the same people that are too lazy to go put in time working on an actual political campaign.

I think a large part of it is also based around people who are copying because it's the "cool" thing to do by their standard. They look at people who do it, think it looks cool, and then do it themselves while telling themselves that they're working FOR constitutional rights. They push their perogatives into peoples' faces, which causes to people to want to push back because they feel they're being intruded upon. Many "guerilla gun rights activists" probably believe they're doing the Lord's work, but it's all about feeding their own ego. There is a difference between ACCEPTANCE and TOLERANCE. When you force acceptance, people will resist. When you advocate tolerance and ensure that you don't force people into acceptance, people are much more prone to getting on board. There is a distinct difference between "RECOGNIZE MY RIGHTS AND VALIDATE ME!" vs "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

HOUSTON — The National Rifle Association has rolled back an earlier statement criticizing "open carry" rallies in Texas in which gun rights advocates have brought military-style assault rifles into public places.

Chris Cox, the head of the lobbying arm, backed away Tuesday from what he called a staff member's "personal opinion" that openly carrying long guns was "weird or somehow not normal...crossing the line from enthusiasm to downright foolishness." He reiterated the NRA's support for open or concealed carry, and said gun owners have "a right to carry a firearm in any place they have a legal right to be."

Cox's reversal comes after OCT said in its posting on Facebook Monday that the NRA's position is turning off many of its members.

"Already, OCT members are posting pictures of themselves cutting up their (NRA) life membership cards," the website says. "If they do not retract their disgusting and disrespectful comments, OCT will have no choice but to withdraw its full support of the NRA and establish relationships with other gun rights organizations that fight for ALL gun rights, instead of just paying them lip service the way the NRA appears to be doing."

"It is unfortunate that an organization that claims to be dedicated to the preservation of gun rights would attack another organization fighting so hard for those rights in Texas," OCT said Monday.

Tov Henderson, an Open Carry member, told WFAA-TV in Dallas Tuesday that the NRA's clarification was refreshing.

"Getting the clarification from them that it wasn't an official stance and that it was just a low-level employee ... it makes sense," Henderson said.

The statement from the NRA last week criticizing OCT's campaign also said such demonstrations "using guns merely to draw attention to yourself in public not only defies common sense, it shows a lack of consideration and manners."

"Let's not mince words, not only is it rare, it's downright weird and certainly not a practical way to go normally about your business while being prepared to defend yourself," said the statement, which also addressed "smart" guns. "To those who are not acquainted with the dubious practice of using public displays of firearms as a means to draw attention to oneself or one's cause, it can be downright scary. It makes folks who might normally be perfectly open-minded about firearms feel uncomfortable and question the motives of pro-gun advocates."

"That's not the Texas way. And that's certainly not the NRA way," the OCT statement said.

OCT, which has branches in 40 Texas counties and in major cities, says it is dedicated to the "safe and legal carry of firearms openly" in Texas in accordance with federal and state laws.

Texas has some of the least restrictive gun laws in the country, but openly carrying handguns remains illegal. Long guns like rifles can be carried openly but must be done so in a way that does not cause alarm. But gun holders can be charged with disorderly conduct if anyone around them feels threatened.

It also stresses that it wants to "condition Texans to feel safe around law-abiding citizens that choose to carry them."

The open carry rallies in restaurants and other businesses — part of a push for less restrictive gun laws, including legalizing the open carry of handguns — have prompted public criticism.

Recent demonstrations by OCT at restaurants in the Dallas and San Antonio areas sparked a petition drive by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America that led Chipotle to call on its customers keep their guns at home. Starbucks, Jack in the Box, Sonic Brands and Dallas-based Brinker International, which own's Chili's, have issued similar statements.

Jack in the Box said the presence of guns inside a restaurant "could create an uncomfortable situation for our guests and employees and lead to unintended consequences."

In applauding such moves, Shannon Watts, founder of the Moms group, said "American businesses and restaurants should not wait for open carry extremists to demonstrate in their establishments – now is the time to stand up for the safety of employees and customers."

Well I don't agree with what these idiots are doing at all. But the techniques they employ are similar to the "We're here. We're queer. Get used to it." rallies that homosexuals used to use to affect acceptance and change. So if these weren't guns and people weren't threatened by them, I'd say that the tactic is based on a degree of past success.

But they're not analogous and people do feel threatened by these idiots. Open carry shouldn't be advocating this sort of thing. I'm all for open-carrying pistols. But I think there's a start contrast between someone having a glock in an owb holster on your hip that people can see and an AR or AK slung over your shoulder or in your hands as you walk through the store. If open carry as an organization can't make that distinction, they're idiots.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Come and Take It Texas, Texas Carry, Gun Rights Across America and Open Carry Texas Joint Statement on OC of Long Arms

Over the past year, our members have done what no other organization has been able to do – put open carry at the forefront of the fight to restore gun rights for all Texans. As we have grown, we have had to adjust our efforts based on lessons learned through hundreds of open carry events, big and small.

Looking back, it has become clear that there is one area in which we have gotten the most resistance and suffered the largest setbacks: open carry of long arms into private businesses. This is not a new phenomenon. Early on, because of our efforts, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) sent a message to all TABC licensees warning them about allowing our members to open carry into their businesses. This resulted in places like Smashburger asking us to leave our guns at home. Since then, Starbucks, Wendy’s, Jack In The Box, Applebees and most recently, Chipotle have come out asking we not carry our firearms into their establishments.

Whereas, our mission is to get open carry of handguns passed in Texas, we must once again adjust in a way that shines a positive light on our efforts, our members, and our respective organizations. We have decided the prudent path, to further our goals, is to immediately cease taking long guns into corporate businesses unless invited. Black Powder revolvers have proven to be very effective and align with our goal of legalizing open carry with a handgun. We do understand that not everyone will be able to afford one, but if you can, we are requesting you do so. Almost every leader has gone to Black powder for a reason. It works.

For all further open carry walks with long guns, we are adopting the following unified protocol and general policy to best ensure meeting our respective legislative mission to legalize open carry:

1) Always notify local law enforcement prior to the walk, especially the day of
2) Carry Flags and signs during your walk to increase awareness
3) Carry the long gun on a sling, not held
4) Do not go into corporate businesses without prior permission, preferably not at all
5) If asked to leave, do so quietly and do not make it a problem
6) Do not post pics publicly if you do get permission and are able to OC in a cooperate business
7) Do not go into businesses with TABC signs posted with a long gun (Ever)
8) If at all possible, keep to local small businesses that are 2A friendly

We ask that members take a step back and make an objective assessment of what we are trying to accomplish and help us to get open carry passed for everyone. We must be willing and able to recognize what works and what doesn’t, but we need your help to make these efforts a success. It will be very difficult to spin holstered, black powder revolvers into a negative story. This is the goal we are currently striving for, open carry of handguns. We know everyone is working hard for this cause. It is simply time to focus on what has been proven to work. The conversation has shifted from open carry of handguns to rifles in businesses, negating our efforts and distracting us from our mission.

We are winning. Because we are winning, we have come under increased scrutiny by media and politicians. Let’s use that spotlight and make the most positive impact we can!